Manchester United manager David Moyes is not as keen on tactical training as Everton boss Roberto Martinez, according to Ross Barkley.
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Moyes, who has come in for criticism from fans for United’s tactical rigidity this season, is known to make his training sessions physically demanding.
However, Barkley says the Scot's successor at Everton takes a more tactical approach and, so far, it has paid off.
Martinez has guided the Toffees into sixth place in the Premier League table, one position and three points above United, who have played a game more.
Everton appear to have moved on since losing Moyes last summer, while United have failed to mount a credible defence of their Premier League title since the former Preston boss took over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.
"He [Martinez] is similar to David Moyes as they both like to take over the training session and be the main man," Barkley, who was given his debut by Moyes at Everton in 2011, told Match of the Day Magazine.
"But Martinez is more tactical. We do a lot more tactical work which is good for me because I'm young and still learning. Martinez has come in and given everyone confidence. He's a positive man and doesn't say anything negative.
"I'm an Evertonian so I want the club to be up at the top end of the table and it's great to be a part of it.”
Barkley has earned his first three England caps this season, and his performances have drawn comparisons with a young Paul Gascoigne.
However, it was a United player of both past and present, as well as a certain Frenchman, that the 20-year-old looked up to when he was younger.
"My hero was Zinedine Zidane,” he said. "I used to watch a lot of Spanish football and videos of him. There was also Paul Scholes, and Wayne Rooney, because he came through the Everton system at a young age, like I have."